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Exploring Explorers Trivia Quiz

This all multiple-choice quiz deals with ten of history's most famous adventurers.

A multiple-choice quiz by sportcon. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
sportcon

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
16,664

Updated
Mar 03 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
5983

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: katie1945 (6/10), bluepeter46 (9/10), Fiona112233 (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What English navigator in the Endeavour carried the Royal Society expedition to Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus across the sun in the late 1760's? Hint

Francis Drake

John Cabot

James Cook

Richard Francis Burton

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Question 2 of 10

2. This American explorer and aviator graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1912 and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1926 for making the first flight over the North Pole. Hint

Roald Amundsen

Floyd Bennett

Richard Byrd

Frederick Albert Cook

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Question 3 of 10

3. This Spanish explorer was dubbed 'Conqueror of Mexico'. Hint

Diego Velazquez

Hernan Cortes

Francisco Coronado

Juan Ponce de Leon

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Question 4 of 10

4. Name the explorer who led the first expedition that successfully circumnavigated the globe. Hint

Henry Hudson

Sebastian Cabot

Ferdinand Magellan

Vasco da Gama

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Question 5 of 10

5. This Scottish missionary and explorer traveled widely in Africa and was the first European to discover Victoria Falls. Hint

Sir John Franklin

Henry Morton Stanley

David Livingstone

Sir Walter Raleigh

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Question 6 of 10

6. What Spanish explorer conquered the Incas in Peru and founded Lima, Peru, in 1535? Hint

Hernan Cortez

Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Coronado

Hernando de Soto

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Question 7 of 10

7. This New Zealander reached the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 and the South Pole in 1958. Hint

Edmund Hillary

Vivian Fuchs

Robert Peary

Samuel Hearne

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Question 8 of 10

8. This American explorer was born near Reading, Pennsylvania. He explored and later led the first settlers to Kentucky in 1775. Hint

Davy Crockett

William Clark

Meriwether Lewis

Daniel Boone

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Question 9 of 10

9. This Portuguese navigator sailed around the coast of Africa in 1487 and originally named what is now the Cape of Good Hope the "Cape of Storms". Hint

Bartolomeu Diaz

Pedro Cabral

Pedro Calderon

Prince Henry the Navigator

10. Last but not least, this Portuguese explorer discovered San Diego Bay, Monterey, and the entire California coast going as far north as Oregon, while leading an expedition north from Mexico. Hint

Nicolas Lopez

Vasco da Gama

Juan Cabrillo

Juan de la Cosa

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 28 2024 : katie1945: 6/10
Oct 22 2024 : bluepeter46: 9/10
Oct 13 2024 : Fiona112233: 9/10
Oct 08 2024 : DeepHistory: 10/10
Sep 26 2024 : Guest 101: 10/10
Sep 23 2024 : absrchamps: 6/10
Sep 19 2024 : Guest 204: 4/10
Sep 15 2024 : lolleyjay: 10/10
Sep 11 2024 : Robert907: 6/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What English navigator in the Endeavour carried the Royal Society expedition to Tahiti to observe the transit of Venus across the sun in the late 1760's?

Answer: James Cook

On Cook's third voyage to the Pacific in 1779 he was killed by natives in Hawaii. Cook is responsible for the discovery of several Pacific island groups.

2. This American explorer and aviator graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1912 and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1926 for making the first flight over the North Pole.

Answer: Richard Byrd

Admiral Byrd also made the first flight over the South Pole in 1929. Floyd Bennett was Byrd's co-pilot and also received the USA's highest medal. However, there is controversy as to whether or not they actually reached the North Pole.

3. This Spanish explorer was dubbed 'Conqueror of Mexico'.

Answer: Hernan Cortes

Cortes was appointed governor of New Spain in 1522 after his defeat of Montezuma.

4. Name the explorer who led the first expedition that successfully circumnavigated the globe.

Answer: Ferdinand Magellan

He named the Pacific Ocean, which had been discovered a few years earlier by Balboa. The straits around the tip of South America is named after him. Magellan was killed in the Philippines, so he himself never actually completed the circumnavigation, but the expedition completed the journey commanded by Magellan's second-in-command Juan Elcano.

5. This Scottish missionary and explorer traveled widely in Africa and was the first European to discover Victoria Falls.

Answer: David Livingstone

Henry Stanley was sent by the New York Herald to look for Livingstone in Africa. Livingstone died in 1873 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

6. What Spanish explorer conquered the Incas in Peru and founded Lima, Peru, in 1535?

Answer: Francisco Pizarro

Pizarro had earlier sailed with Bilboa to the Pacific.

7. This New Zealander reached the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 and the South Pole in 1958.

Answer: Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund was knighted for the Mt. Everest expedition.

8. This American explorer was born near Reading, Pennsylvania. He explored and later led the first settlers to Kentucky in 1775.

Answer: Daniel Boone

Boone died in present day Missouri in 1820.

9. This Portuguese navigator sailed around the coast of Africa in 1487 and originally named what is now the Cape of Good Hope the "Cape of Storms".

Answer: Bartolomeu Diaz

The name of this explorer is sometimes spelled Dias. Diaz (c.1450-1500) was the first explorer to find an all-maritime route from Europe to India - that is, one that involved no overland travel.

10. Last but not least, this Portuguese explorer discovered San Diego Bay, Monterey, and the entire California coast going as far north as Oregon, while leading an expedition north from Mexico.

Answer: Juan Cabrillo

His Portuguese name is Jo�o Rodrigues Cabrilho. However, he sailed in the service of Spain and is best known by the Spanish version of his name. Cabrillo became the first European to set foot in what is today the state of California in 1542.

Source: Author sportcon

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